(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for permitting temporary use of a telephone number, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for permitting temporary use of a telephone number to temporarily enable a subscriber terminal to have telephone communication by using a telephone number other than that assigned thereto.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in cases where a subscriber is forced to receive a telephone call from persons whom the subscriber wishes to leave uninformed of his or her telephone number, for example, where the subscriber is obliged to indicate his/her telephone number for contact on a public message board such as for purposes of private sale, invitation to group activities or request for search for a lost article or where the subscriber allows another person to temporarily use his/her telephone for contact, the subscriber is left only two options: to install a new telephone to acquire a different telephone number or to let others know his/her own telephone number.
In the case of installing a new telephone to acquire a different telephone number, however, a high installation fee is required, and also the procedures needed from the application for installation to actual registration and the procedures for cancellation of the registration because of disuse of the telephone require much time.